


The Predatory Nature of The Lamb

by CharbroilLaFlamme



Series: Bioshock: Measurement of A Father [16]
Category: BioShock 1 & 2 (Video Games)
Genre: Altruism, BioShock References, BioShock Spoilers, Emotional Manipulation, Gen, Philanthropy, Rapture (BioShock)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-22
Updated: 2018-08-22
Packaged: 2019-06-30 21:07:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 728
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15759705
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CharbroilLaFlamme/pseuds/CharbroilLaFlamme
Summary: Gilbert goes to Sofia for a session against Tenenbaum’s warnings.





	The Predatory Nature of The Lamb

“You are blessing them, Gilbert.” She was an angel. She was something that transcended.

Sofia was her name, and she got under his skin—like one of the benign cancers Tenenbaum had warned against.

“You give them meaning, men who have condemned themselves. Resigned themselves to the wills of the self-serving individual.”

She was smiling warmly, her glasses shone with purpose, and something highly contagious— _philanthropy_.

It attracted Gil, and he was weakened, wrapped in her web. Somehow he knew that she was manipulating him.

It had been a long time coming, but he had begun to listen to her. Truly. And, like a switch, everything she spoke of began to make sense.

Her voice was even, smooth—nearly sensual. He couldn’t stop listening to her.

He finally found his vocals, but heavily stammered before he could speak. “Is it... _wrong_?”

She rubbed her chin thoughtfully, visibly formulating her answer.

It came out like music. “Gilbert,” she began, “to most... it is a crime beyond the forgiveness of humanity. But you gift people with love.”

“Yes, _but_ —“

“You give them _families_ , Gilbert. _Legacies_.” In her hand, she had a small paper butterfly. One of the wings was bent, but with expert ease, she folded it back into shape. “Terrible men with terrible history, mended.”

She placed the blue paper construct into his hand, smiling down at it like it was her own child. “It is for the good of many that we sacrifice a few, Gilbert. Even I have my share of regrets.”

He yearned to hold her hand, but his nerves continued to keep him grounded. He continued to listen raptly.

“But I was raised to uphold this ideology, and I know it sometimes hurts—the conditions you must uphold.“

Gil looked at her. “I hate it.” He said, concisely, as if she had ripped his true feelings right out of his throat.

“I know, Gilbert, but you are saving them from the poison of the self. The pain of self preservation.”

 _Everything she is saying is right_ , Gil argued to himself. _Compassion, love, regard for others..._

But it was corrupt to have it forced on you. The man within the shell, cursed and blessed with the burden and gift of unconditional love.

Sinclair used to be a man with coherent thought, individuality, wishes, wants, and compulsions.

But something made him let it all go. The idea that perhaps he could find meaning again, meaning outside of Sinclair Solutions, outside of a steady profit.

Gil was complicit to what was essentially murder.

“Omission of memory deprives you of the lessons you may have learned.” He said quietly. “We make them forget what makes them... them.”

“A necessary evil, as you forget your greeds, your vices, fervour.”

“Goals, virtues, aspirations.” Gil added.

Sofia looked him in the eye. “Gilbert, I believe you’re misunderstanding my aim. The Rapture Family is not a lumbering, militant beast of iniquity, we do not deprive others of their history, like Ryan and his fellows do. We are equal, all of us. Only removing the will of the self from the equation. Don’t you wish to contribute?”

“I... I do, Doctor Lamb.” Gil said.

“Then I urge you to continue your work, Gilbert.”

“Why?”

“I wish to see to it that Rapture is ready for my greatest sacrifice.”

“Your greatest sacrifice?”

“My daughter.” She said, warm, but in an almost artificial way, like she was trying not to find herself proud by mentioning her prodigious progeny. “This world will be founded on the future of my daughter, a world that will fit her— _us_ —and our ideals.”

“I see...”

“Children are terribly impressionable, vulnerable to the pitfalls of human error. My daughter will be tailor made to avoid such flaws.”

Gil was unsettled, yet inspired by Sofia’s optimism.

“Rapture is a new horizon for the study of unity betwixt men and women of similar ideals.” She turned her calm smile back on him. “You are intelligent, selfless beyond reason. And I have a task for you.”

“What do you need me to do?” He said.

“Just continue, Gilbert, you will know when it is time for the world next to bloom. Her world.”

Gil looked at the paper butterfly in his hand. “Thank you, Doctor Lamb.”

”I’m happy you came by, Gilbert,” she said, “Imago is coming, Gilbert, and you can usher her in.”

**Author's Note:**

> Notes!:
> 
> —if you’re seeing parallels between Gil’s and Stanley’s visits to Lamb, you’re correct! The paper butterfly, in fact, is Stanley’s from before!
> 
> — Gil, as hinted in canon, is absolutely smitten with Sofia—which was why he was so easy to sway.
> 
> — Lamb is actually quite invested in the Protector program.
> 
> — Gilbert came to her to see if, perhaps, she could help him cope. But she saw a tool.
> 
> — The other part I forgot to mention, he had contact once or twice with Lamb—he developed a sort of attachment to her. Tenenbaum’s warnings went unheeded.


End file.
